bev turner. it's 10:00 on thursday, the 60 end of february. i'm bev turner this is bev turner today sturgeon's out and the search for her successor begins . sturgeon's out and the search for her successor begins. is this a victory for biological and is independence now dead in the water.7 it's been nearly weeks since nicola vanished as two little girls ask, where is their mummy? have the police failed? the with new revelations since the vital covid was meant

to start days ago, but it's already been delayed. i'll tell you why. and when we might all get some answers . of course . get some answers. of course. need you to get involved this morning. what on earth is going on with the nicola family inquiry? why would the police reveal such personal details at this stage ? i've got my theories this stage? i've got my theories on their behaviour the police's behaviour is are yours behaviour that is what are yours . gbviews@gbnews.uk . . email me gbviews@gbnews.uk. plus this morning meghan markle in a legal battle with her sister donald trump's take on sturgeon's departure and the 100% reliable male contraceptive if pill. all that and more after news . bears. thank you. good news. bears. thank you. good morning. it's 10:01 news. bears. thank you. good morning. it's10:01 mine bethany elsey with your top stories . the elsey with your top stories. the gb newsroom, the search for new first minister of scotland underway after nicholas sturgeon

and announced her unexpected decision to stand down. she plans to remain in office until her successor is elected . the her successor is elected. the snp's executive committee meet this evening to draw up a time for a leadership race . possible for a leadership race. possible replacements include the deputy first minister john swinney replacements include the deputy first ministerjohn swinney and first minister john swinney and finance secretary kate forbes. good morning. a new method of screening ambulance calls is to be introduced in england , an be introduced in england, an effort to reduce waiting times around 40% of these patients will receive a call back from a doctor , nurse or paramedic to doctor, nurse or paramedic to see if there is an alternative to sending an ambulance . to sending an ambulance. ministers have announced an extra ministers have announced an extr a £421 million to boost extra £421 million to boost alcohol and drug treatment and recovery across england. the new funding will be given to 151

councils to fund initiatives aimed at tackling addiction and cutting crime. such as recruiting more staff , better recruiting more staff, better recovery, support for prison leavers and investment in treatment . the government says treatment. the government says it could prevent nearly 1000 drug related deaths . we know drug related deaths. we know that drug addiction drives so much crime, it drives about half of all crime . and because we of all crime. and because we know that people get into drug treatment, that radically reduces their likelihood that there will be out there caused chaos and causing crime . so chaos and causing crime. so we're making this big investment that will mean more people in treatment , new types of treatment, new types of treatment, new types of treatment , treatment, new types of treatment, and as well as being good for all the rest of us and cutting crime . of course, it's a cutting crime. of course, it's a it's a path out of terrible, terrible addiction for the people who are trapped in it . people who are trapped in it. british gas owner centrica has posted profits of £33 billion, posted profits of £3.3 billion, more than triple what it made the year before. it comes after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment metres by

force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat leader ed davey has called the announcement a betrayal for british gas customers across the country and called on the government to implement a proper windfall tax. meanwhile one in three small businesses might not be able to cover their energy bills from april, when the price guarantee rises. it's expected to increase by 20% and at the same time , government will phase same time, government will phase down its support for firms. new research by experian has found around 30% of the 1.2 million small businesses it analysed will be at heightened risk of collapse in the spring. labour is promising to recruit an extra 30,000 community police officers to tackle anti—social behaviour and violent crime. if they win the next election. the shadow home secretary, yvette cooper is currently announcing the neighbourhood policing guarantee, which will assign officers and pc cso's to every

community in a bid to increase police visibility . but the home police visibility. but the home office claim their proposed investment is only a 10th of what the government is currently delivering . mps and campaign delivering. mps and campaign groups have criticised lancashire police for its handung lancashire police for its handling of the case of missing mother of two, nicola bailey . mother of two, nicola bailey. yesterday detectives revealed ms. bailey was vulnerable, classed as high risk, undisclosed issues with alcohol unked undisclosed issues with alcohol linked to struggles with the menopause . the 45 year old menopause. the 45 year old disappeared almost three weeks ago. tory mp alicia kearns said she's deeply uncomfortable with this level of personal information being revealed . and information being revealed. and underwater rescue expert peter folding. he's been involved in the search, says the police aren't to blame. also it was so sorry for them that it's been released this week. should never have come out. they could have just told us on the quiet press. wouldn't have known. no, we would just been changed. everything. i still so like i said, i really things are

getting beaten up here. this is terrible because it's not the place. it'sjust terrible because it's not the place. it's just the claims piece where they see where this might these decisions needs to answer lots of questions. that's not not the place. that's not a family. that's regroup, not not the place. that's not a family. that's regroup , get family. that's regroup, get together and then redo this search again. so we actually could try and get some closure for this poor family and rare, previously unseen footage has been released showing the wreckage of the titanic . the wreckage of the titanic. the video was filmed in 1986, just after the ship was found. the luxury liner was sailing from southampton to new york in 1912 when it hit an iceberg and sank. the video's release comes on the 25th anniversary of the oscar winning film about the disaster . you're up to date on gb news. .you're up to date on gb news. we'll bring you more news as it happens. now, though, it's back to bed .

to bed. it's been exactly three weeks since nicola disappeared in lancashire. so i'm asking you this morning whether the police have failed her. don't go away. that's coming up shortly. but first, scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon's resignation highlights the challenges that women politicians face and the need to do more to support them and retain them in their roles. politics can be brutal and for sturgeon, the job has taken a physical and mental toll. here she is announcing her resignation . while i am stepping resignation. while i am stepping down from leadership. i am not leaving politics. there are many issues i care deeply about and hope to champion in future . hope to champion in future. winning independence is the cause i have dedicate a lifetime to. it is a cause i believe in. with every fibre of my being and it is a cause i am convinced is being won. i intend to be there as it is won every step of the

way. but with her strong views on transgender and transgender laws is her resignation. ironically a victory for women? joining me now, social media campaigner, diet mcmillan and diversity and inclusion facilitator katie john. when good morning, both. thank you very much for joining good morning, both. thank you very much forjoining me good morning, both. thank you very much for joining me this morning. diet what was your reaction yesterday? i saw you on social media when we spoke to in the day you said that you were pulsating with happiness. has that elation abated at all? death definitely not. no, i. i am delighted to see the back of sturgeon. she has done more damage in scotland than anyone in history that i can bring to mind. but i would imagine, as as a woman and i think it's probably safe to say that you probably safe to say that you probably describe yourself as a feminist. it's sort of heartbreaking for us, isn't it, to see a woman that's been at the top of her political game

for eight years, step away and other women rejoicing . just other women rejoicing. just reflect on that paradox a bit for me . so yeah, i. i absolutely for me. so yeah, i. i absolutely see where yes, it's a loss to two women. the we find ourselves losing such a strong i and capable leader. losing such a strong i and capable leader . however she's capable leader. however she's not the right one. she's just not the right one. she's just not the right one. she's just not the right one. i think the where women's rights are concerned, i we've had we've been crushed is what's happened on on the on the back of her ideological stance on trans gender ism where the emotions of men have been put ahead of the real and tangible rights and safeguarding issues where women

and children are concerned . she and children are concerned. she was at pains died to say yesterday that it isn't the short term attention and controversy around this issue which has caused her to walk away from this powerful position . but she'd been reflecting on this for much longer. do you believe that or do you think she's been a victim of this gender ideology ? i think she's gender ideology? i think she's she's had a bit of a doing for quite a long time. i think the i many of the things that she's been up to of late have brought this catastrophically to her lap. i the issue with alex salmond , for example, and the salmond, for example, and the questioning that she had in holyrood where she just simply couldn't remember. and i believe that she said i can't remember something about 75 times within that questioning line . i know my that questioning line. i know my mum had dementia and she would have been able to remember some

of that stuff to know it was just absolute garbage and she has utterly brought this situation herself . katie, situation upon herself. katie, let me come to you. your thoughts on the resignation yesterday. you must have been fairly disappointed . i imagine yesterday. you must have been fairly disappointed. i imagine . fairly disappointed. i imagine. well, you know, many trans people are disappointed by it. and so are also many scottish people. i don't think anybody speaks all women or all speaks for all women or all scottish people. i'm not scottish. off, apologies scottish. first off, apologies for that. spent a lot of time for that. i spent a lot of time in scotland. nor am i a person born female, so can't speak born female, so i can't speak for women in that sense of the word. but i know a lot of word. but i do know a lot of people, and i've spoken to people, and i've spoken to people overnight saying they are disappointed not only for disappointed by it, not only for the it's of the fact that it's kind of a dentin the fact that it's kind of a dent in progression. i don't think it's necessarily standing dent in progression. i don't thi gender, ecessarily standing dent in progression. i don't thi gender, ideology' standing dent in progression. i don't thi gender, ideology ,standing dent in progression. i don't thi gender, ideology , butding dent in progression. i don't thi gender, ideology , but it's| on gender, ideology, but it's nicholas sturgeon did stand for progression in scotland, did stand for social progress , give stand for social progress, give views. and just like jacinda ahern, there has that there's been a catastrophic loss of a brilliant leader who is respected in many respects the world over , more so than all

world over, more so than all leaders in western stuff. but is it a loss for trans and a victory for women? no, it's a loss for some friends and a loss for many women. i don't think it's exclusive across the board. and if front female run, i kate forbes becomes first minister, then we'd have someone with strong conservative christian views on things like abortion and equal marriage, which could potentially see the scotland's progressive social views take a step backwards on trends. i do believe she was a good ally, but perhaps someone who allied too far and it became the hill she died upon . almost like the poll died upon. almost like the poll tax moment for kind of for thatcher. but it could instead have been that kind of with westminster using section 35 to try and crush the gender recognition bill. even if that were to die or be reformed and rethought and personally i had mixed views on it anyway. nevertheless, it have been nevertheless, it could have been kind an independence moment kind of an independence moment when scotland actually said westminster , stop going against westminster, stop going against us. and that would have been a victory for scotland and for women. let me bring you back in

then. it's an interesting take on isn't it, that perhaps on it, isn't it, that perhaps the next leader of the the next the next leader of the snp , if it katie forbes, snp, if it is katie forbes, we're going to be talking about a in the show this a bit later in the show this morning well. if she does morning as well. if she does replace sturgeon, she might have some views that a lot of women may not as pro—women may not see as being pro—women and pro—choice . choice wouldn't and pro—choice. choice wouldn't it? could it possibly have been better? the devil you know and definitely not definite ? no. i definitely not definite? no. i think the whether it's katie forbes or i, any of the other amazing women from the snp party and i'm not against the snp, i'm neither am i for them . what i am neither am i for them. what i am against is their idea is the we should be dictate to in a way the is . i suppose, i suppose the the is. i suppose, i suppose the thing about it is that this woke idea ology is on it's a for

ideology or is just there moral superiority . and judging of superiority. and judging of people who don't have similar ideasis. people who don't have similar ideas is . where it is where ideas is. where it is where normal people feel that this is wrong and we shouldn't be forced in any way to do anything, whether it's to accept biologic males in our private spaces, in our women's refuges or any of these kind of things. there are lines where your average woman is can and should not be crossed . katie, what what do you make of that? because i think this speaks for a lot of people that this debate felt as though it was anti biological women as opposed to pro trans choice. i i

think it's one of the classic things it's been going for on the last four years or more. it's been a very volatile debate and where there should have been and where there should have been a debate, there was no debate. and where the debate did happen, it vociferous partisan it was vociferous and partisan and extreme. there were very and extreme. and there were very few of moderate few kind of moderate voices saying ways to saying that all there ways to progress . yes. things such as progress. yes. things such as trans safety and trans rights. i mean, we've had the trans teenager was killed last teenager who was killed last week infinite lee. more women week by infinite lee. more women are a daily basis. so, are killed on a daily basis. so, you know, we can't just exaggerate out of exaggerate that out of proportion , but there must be proportion, but there must be ways of having sensible debate. and this in this respect, nicola was sensible and to degree, so was sensible and to a degree, so is forbes. she is a she is is kate forbes. she is a she is a proponent of decent debate and that i respect her. and father was a missionary. my background excuse being a missionary in excuse me, being a missionary in my i do respect my background. so i do respect the need for good debate and there has to be ways to come together and dialogue. and this is where g gender is maybe where the g gender recognition kind of rethink didn't work properly is that the rethinks and the conversations

didn't include all of the voices because there must be ways to progress trans safety and trans rights without treading on women's safety and women's rights. there must be ways to expand the cake rather than taking from somebody else's slice. and in that sense, despite being male born , i'm despite being male born, i'm absolutely a feminist and do not believe in trampling on women's rights. but i do believe in having respectful conversations and, you know, head held high from trans people haven't been doing that equally . some women doing that equally. some women haven't. but we have to bang heads and get around the table and die . i think katie has and die. i think katie has a point , doesn't she, in that and die. i think katie has a point, doesn't she, in that this needs to be a conversation which is had, but it has fell all too often, particularly when nicholas sturgeon was pressed on these issues that it was a fait accompli that conversation accompli, that the conversation had , that she was had been had, that she was right. and the gender recognition reform bill had to go through. and now what happens to that die? what would you like to that die? what would you like to see happen ? obviously to see happen? obviously westminster are blocking that at the moment .

westminster are blocking that at the moment. so i think i agree entirely that there should have been open and fair debate and conversation on the subject where i we biological women would not have felt that we were being taken from our put upon. i think that i you know , for think that i you know, for example i was in george square last sunday where there was a women's speak event. last sunday where there was a women's speak event . now, the women's speak event. now, the i translate to this had put on their own karaoke event to drown out the women, the women's voices. now, these women were talking about having been sexually assaulted and raped. they were talking about i being in prison with a biological man . the fear that they had felt in that situation . and you at the that situation. and you at the other end of the square , you had

other end of the square, you had people singing and dancing to abba and, you know , that kind of abba and, you know, that kind of it seriously disrespect for non since these women have a right to speak and say discuss the things the trans ideology kind of stuff is i hope it's impact them in their lives and. absolutely. ladies thank you so much for joining absolutely. ladies thank you so much forjoining me this much for joining me this morning. time mcmillan and katie. john went . it's katie. john went. it's interesting, isn't it? i was cancelled by some trans activist. i was due to speak at activist. i was due to speak at a legal firm on international women's day, but because i had retweeted an article in a national newspaper written by somebody they didn't like, national newspaper written by s got body they didn't like, national newspaper written by s got counsel they didn't like, national newspaper written by s got counsel fromy didn't like, national newspaper written by s got counsel from that. 1't like, national newspaper written by sgot counsel from that. letike, national newspaper written by sgot counsel from that. let me i got counsel from that. let me know thoughts. views. gb know your thoughts. gb views. gb news. .uk. still to come , it is know your thoughts. gb views. gb news. .u three weeks today since nicola bulleit vanished. there are two little who need to know little girls who need to know when mummy is coming home. have the police failed them? don't go

anywhere . alex deakin here with anywhere. alex deakin here with your latest weather updates . your latest weather updates. lots of cloud around today. the winds are going be the big winds are going to be the big feature of the weather tonight and tomorrow and particularly tomorrow morning the morning across parts of the north. have met office yellow north. we have met office yellow warnings place . that's warnings in place. that's because this area of low because of this area of low pressure deepening, intensifying because of this area of low preit;ure deepening, intensifying because of this area of low preit movesepening, intensifying because of this area of low preit moves toening, intensifying because of this area of low preit moves to the ], intensifying because of this area of low preit moves to the north nsifying because of this area of low preit moves to the north of fying as it moves to the north of scotland. at the squeeze in scotland. look at the squeeze in the us. those winds the eyes of us. those winds really up, especially really picking up, especially through morning . more on through friday morning. more on that in a moment. let's get through of today. as through the rest of today. as i said, lot cloud out there, said, a lot of cloud out there, some drizzly conditions over parts of eastern england, clearing away spot clearing away the odd spot of drizzle also drizzle elsewhere. but also something a bit brighter, developing of east developing in parts of east wales, northeast may wales, northeast england may well sunny spells well see some sunny spells before more pushes back before more rain pushes back into northern ireland. it's pretty mild out there today. double almost across the double digits almost across the board a bit of brightness. board with a bit of brightness. we could get into the teens dunng we could get into the teens during this evening. that rain is to spread from northern is going to spread from northern ireland scotland ireland into western scotland where last all night. where it will last all night. there around getting heavier and heavier through night as heavier through the night as that moves in, the that low pressure moves in, the winds then steadily winds also then steadily increasing, picking

increasing, really picking up after midnight across the northwest . but the south, well, northwest. but the south, well, it'll get a bit breezy. it stays cloudy. look at these overnight temperatures. very mild indeed. we feel mild tomorrow in we won't feel mild tomorrow in the winds . now, those the winds. now, those winds really up tomorrow really whipping up tomorrow morning across scotland. initially but down across initially but also down across parts england, gusts parts of northern england, gusts of 60, 70 miles an hour, likely to cause some disruption, particularly for high sided vehicles, but cause some vehicles, but could cause some flying debris. certainly some disruption to transport disruption to the transport networks, planes , flights may be networks, planes, flights may be cancelled . so a very blustery cancelled. so a very blustery day across the north of showers in far north. again further in the far north. again further south, many places just dry and cloudy, be windy cloudy, but it will be windy then today. and then we could at times see a little bit of rain in the southwest, another very mild day across the south. further north, will be a further north, it will be a cold day despite a more sunshine. day despite a bit more sunshine. but feeling lot but obviously feeling a lot colder those winds. colder with those winds. now, those will easing those winds will be easing through and into through the afternoon and into the but more rain the evening, but more rain coming in to the northwest as we go through friday evening. more details weather warnings details on the weather warnings on website . good on the met office website. good

bye .

welcome back to bev turner today on gb news. still to come this morning, this time three weeks ago, this very moment, pretty much three weeks ago , the family much three weeks ago, the family of nicola bolly started to wonder why she hadn't come home from her normal dog walk. they still have answers. i've got still have no answers. i've got a top cop and a former top cop and psychologist to the very psychologist to examine the very latest that . but first, latest on that. but first, i'm joined by former special adviser sir michael gove, charlie rowley and the chair of the republican overseas uk, greg swinson . thank overseas uk, greg swinson. thank you, gentlemen, for joining overseas uk, greg swinson. thank you, gentlemen, forjoining me this morning. you, gentlemen, forjoining me this morning . we have got some this morning. we have got some of the best papers stories today. going to go through today. we're going to go through them knots, right, them at a rate of knots, right, greg? donald of course , greg? donald trump, of course, couldn't resist saying a nice, fond , warm farewell to nicholas fond, warm farewell to nicholas sturgeon she went out the door. this was read out the statement

for the first time last night on gb news with nigel farage. that's who donald trump got in touch with and of course, he said that mrs. sturgeon, ms. sturgeon fought me all the way over golf courses . this over the golf courses. this crazed leftist symbolises everything wrong with identity politics. i mean, tell us what you really think. donald trump, right? he said sturgeon thought it was okay to put a biological man woman's prison if that man in a woman's prison if that wasn't enough. fought wasn't bad enough. she fought for recognition for gender recognition reform bill have allowed 16 bill that would have allowed 16 year to change year old children to change their without medical their gender without medical advice. he did not hold on advice. he did not hold back on why by that, why are you surprised by that, greg? not at all. not at all. as we know, president trump is very unfiltered. an unfiltered. this probably an understatement. unfiltered. this probably an under�*backnent. unfiltered. this probably an under�*back to it. unfiltered. this probably an under�*back to 2015, he says what going back to 2015, he says what people are thinking. he's just a lot more candid about it than most politicians are. all politicians . so he he's just politicians. so he he's just saying what what people are thinking. and then he brings the personal into it, too, as usual for president trump and that with the golf course. so he couldn't just leave it at her pubuc couldn't just leave it at her public stance on on gender

issues. he had to bring in a personal conflict. so that's not not the first time for president. no. and of course, he didn't just about his golf didn't just talk about his golf properties. talks about the properties. he talks about the fact he the great fact that he built the great golf properties in the world, in scotland . charlie, does that scotland. charlie, does that make you little bit nostalgic make you a little bit nostalgic for donald trump when you see a statement like this? well, as you plenty punches. that's you say, plenty punches. that's what and you what he really thinks. and you know, maybe we should just have gone away golf course to gone away to this golf course to see it really is the see if it really is the greatest. but i think, look, he if you rattled the donald, then i think shows some of i think it shows some of nicklaus actually, nicklaus strengths, actually, that a formidable that she was a formidable politician. was a thorn in politician. she was a thorn in his been in the many his side. she's been in the many politicians the politicians lives south of the border westminster. so politicians lives south of the border westminster . so she border in westminster. so she has great record as a has a great record as a politician. i think it is a huge loss and a huge blow to the snp because whoever succeeds nicholas sturgeon will have a big , big nicholas sturgeon will have a big, big shoes to fill and it does put the case for independence. i think slightly on the back. yeah. as she just won the election for keir starmer by stepping down do you think. well they've a lot of

think. well they've got a lot of work to do. labour in scotland, they've only got one mp still, so know, huge amount . and i so you know, huge amount. and i think you know the snp think look, you know the snp will go through weeks , will now go through weeks, potentially months of infighting to to succeed to see who's going to succeed nicola when scotland nicola when actually scotland needs focus on things like needs to focus on things like education, health, tackling drug issues and crime are things that really, really matter too to voters. well, it's funny you should say that, because actually, kenny, one of our viewers, has got in touch and said, is everybody said, why is everybody praising sturgeon, seeing as education, drugs, police have drugs, nhs and the police have all and you know, if all been ruined and you know, if we look at the runners and riders who might be set to replace her gentleman, john swinney , angus robertson, kate swinney, angus robertson, kate forbes , humza yousaf and joanna forbes, humza yousaf and joanna cherry, are you familiar with either of any of those people, either of any of those people, either of any of those people, either of you know? none. none. i only. charlie, you worked in westminster for years. how can you not and you don't know any of these people i've heard of them. i mean, we do them, them. i mean, we do know them, but they wouldn't be household names that isn't names to anyone that isn't inside i think inside the bubble. and i think that shows just how great

that just shows just how great nicola and these are big nicola was and these are big shoes to fill. but like rishi sunak , you know, he was sunak, you know, he was appointed chancellor after the resignation of savage . and all resignation of savage. and all these months ago, who then obviously had a huge following because of the role that he held. there might be an opportunity . whoever takes over opportunity. whoever takes over from to nicola be able to quickly get that. following that they need to take this. and people does show, though, people it does show, though, what a force she's been what a dominant force she's been in politics for eight in scottish politics for eight years, everybody is cast in years, that everybody is cast in the shade of absolutely and the shade of her. absolutely and you there was no you know, there was no one pushing out in this during pushing her out in this during her resignation . and that was her resignation. and that was yesterday. it was pretty obvious that there was no internal conflict in the snp. so i think it just again is charlie said it shows how dominant she was and still is so. but you know, someone will fill those shoes and you see this in the us as well. nobody heard of barack obama before 2004 and he's still a massive force in american politics and someone will come around and they'll be on the

front page. yeah okay. right, guys, let's move to on this story that broke this morning . i story that broke this morning. i mean, living in a country mean, we're living in a country right where there are some right now where there are some there was one pension of the other day talking about the fact that doesn't make toast in that she doesn't make toast in the any more because she the morning any more because she can't doesn't turn can't she doesn't want to turn on electricity bill. she on the electricity bill. she can't electricity bill. can't afford electricity bill. and gas and charlie, british gas owner centrica just announced centrica has just announced record profits of £3 billion, up from 948 million in 2021. how is that? okay well, it's not. and i think perhaps that you're right, there'll be people across the country who are picking a job off the floor who haven't been able to afford their bills. the government has stepped in and it's important to say to support people with cost of living, crisis, their crisis, particularly on their energy these energy bills when we saw these energy bills when we saw these energy soar , but that energy bills soar, but that money is coming out of our tax. we're government now we're paying the government now basically us a little bit basically giving us a little bit back because won't from back because they won't from april this . shouldn't april to cover this. shouldn't there windfall tax on there be a windfall tax on centrica? i think there's

centrica? well, i think there's already windfall tax in place, but question go but the question is can it go further, particularly when you hear news stories like today's, as rightly say, 3 billion as you rightly say, 3 billion excess hopes is excess of profits, one hopes is that at some that that actually at some point that you can pass on those profits to its consumers , but also make its consumers, but also make sure that it's actually investing in renewable energy or new sources. new sources of energy for the future to make sure that actually we're not depending on oil or gas from russia. this will be going to the shareholders, though, greg. russia. this will be going to thwillareholders, though, greg. russia. this will be going to thwill be. iolders, though, greg. russia. this will be going to thwill be. buters, though, greg. russia. this will be going to thwill be. but this hough, greg. russia. this will be going to thwill be. but this just|h, greg. russia. this will be going to thwill be. but this just shows]. it will be. but this just shows the folly of government intervention in what should be private markets. so definitely against a windfall tax . what's against a windfall tax. what's happenedis against a windfall tax. what's happened is the government's caps on retail prices are mismatched with the free, you know, the open wholesale prices. but but look what the disruptions are to the market, right. that's capped you know, they've capped retail or at least they're subsidising, which is really just shifting it from consumers to taxpayers . but the consumers to taxpayers. but the fracking ban , the windfall fracking ban, the windfall taxes, the hostility to the to

the private sector in general, but especially to the energy sector that's created this problem. so i don't blame , you problem. so i don't blame, you know, british gas for making some money. this is the same thing as, you know, you saw exxon and bp's profits in the last few weeks. this is what happens when the government over regulates a market. and these are the unintended consequences are the unintended consequences are perhaps intended consequences so on unleash the private sector, unleash the ban on fracking or stop capping retail prices and let the markets work . what do you think markets work. what do you think about that, charlie? you agree? well, i think it is important to make sure that the markets work. this is a people to allow big companies to then to then go and invest in other sources of energy and but you do hope that a at a time where everybody's suffering, where there is a huge cost of living crisis is in place, that you hope that any company that is earning excessive profits, that they do pass these back on to the consumer in the long term. and we that might case. we hope that might be the case. yeah best to do is let yeah best thing to do is let

bnng yeah best thing to do is let bring competition in let the bring competition in or let the market and that's why market compete. and that's why they're charge they're able to charge high pnces they're able to charge high prices because of their prices because so many of their competitors out of competitors went out of business. did they go out of business. why did they go out of business? because money business? because of money printing, hostility printing, because of hostility to so in wholesale to supply side. so in wholesale prices, love blame the prices, they love to blame the invasion on this invasion of ukraine on this wholesale were up five wholesale prices were up five fold before invasion . 2021 fold before the invasion. 2021 is when these competitors to british gas started going under because of government intervention into the markets. yeah i can't have you here actually without mentioning the accusation from the pulitzer prize winning journalist that joe biden had something to do with the nord stream pipeline being blown up. obviously the white house have denied it vociferously . it it was an vociferously. it was it was an excellent piece. if it was fiction, it was great fiction. you know, he should be a novelist. but it was hard to argue with with a lot of his research and a lot of his argument. so, you know, who knows ? mean, course, the knows? i mean, of course, the white is going to deny it, white house is going to deny it, but it's you know, who else could have possibly done this? so there are merit it. so there are some merit to it. yeah. right guys. yeah. okay. right thanks, guys.

up yeah. okay. right thanks, guys. up mother nicola up next, missing mother nicola bailey. not found after bailey. still not found after three weeks. have police three weeks. have the police failed her? after the failed her? that's after the news . thank you. good morning. news. thank you. good morning. here's your top stories at 1031, the search for a new first minister of scotland is underway after nicholas sturgeon announced her decision to stand down after eight years in the job, she plans to remain in office until her successor is elected . the snp's executive elected. the snp's executive committee will meet this evening to draw up a timetable for a leadership race possible replacements include the deputy first minister, john swinney and finance secretary kate forbes . a finance secretary kate forbes. a new method of screening ambulance calls is to be introduced in england in an effort to reduce waiting times. ambulance crews will now review category two calls, which are not immediately life threatening. these calls include conditions ranging from heart attacks and strokes to burns and severe headaches . around 40% of

severe headaches. around 40% of patients will receive a call back from a doctor, nurse or paramedic to see if there's an alternative to sending an ambulance . minister for seven ambulance. minister for seven ounce. an extr a £421 million to ounce. an extra £421 million to boost alcohol and drug treatment and recovery across england. the new funding will be given to 151 councils to fund initiatives aimed at tackling addiction and cutting crime. such as recruiting more staff, better recovery, support for prison leavers and investment in treatment . the government says treatment. the government says it could prevent nearly 1000 drug related deaths . british gas drug related deaths. british gas owner centrica has posted profits . of £3.3 billion. that's profits. of £3.3 billion. that's more than triple what it made the year before. it comes after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat leader ed davies called the announcement a betrayal for

british gas customers and called on the government to implement a proper windfall tax . and labour proper windfall tax. and labour is promising to recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election. speaking in the last few minutes, the shadow home secretary condemned a complete collapse of home office leadership on crime and policing under the conservatives . yvette under the conservatives. yvette cooper also unveiled labour's proposed neighbourhood policing guarantee, which would assign pcsos to every community in a bid to increase police visibility . on tv, online and tv visibility. on tv, online and tv plus radio. this is gb news fairfield . be back with you in fairfield. be back with you in just a moment. before 11. elon musk says a single world government could lead to the end of civilisation. he said it at the world government summit . the world government summit. back with you .

in two. welcome back to bev turner. today on gb news. it is 1037. still to come, all we now a britain unite it i hope so is sturgeon's resignation and the end of the independence stream for the snp. but first, it's been 21 days since the disappearance of nicola bolly. police said she had significant issues with alcohol, which was brought on by her ongoing struggles with menopause. detectives say the 45 year old was listed as a high risk missing person due to a number of what they called at the time specific, vulnerable. but have the police done enough or have they failed? nicola me they failed? nicola joining me now detective now is former met detective peter blakeslee and a psychologist mechanic. good morning both. great to see you , morning both. great to see you, peter. you have an expert assessment on how they

investigate and has been going with 21 days and it looks like they've got no more answers. this is looking to you like a disastrous investigation . well, disastrous investigation. well, in terms of lancashire , she is in terms of lancashire, she is constabulary community nation with both the media and the public. it has been at absolutely woeful . every time absolutely woeful. every time they've stridently said don't speculate during a press conference, all they've done is open the doors for people to exactly that by their clumsy use of language and their miscommunications . and of miscommunications. and of course, yesterday was the promised example. so could it, peter, that they have done the right things. they've been looking in the right places , but looking in the right places, but they haven't messaged it correctly to the quite correctly to the public quite possibly , although a lot of possibly, although a lot of people reasonably are saying why are they so wedded to this idea that nicola went in the water? because they are still yet to give us the evidence to tell us what it is that made them so convinced that that was their primary strategy . and remember,

primary strategy. and remember, yesterday, they once again said there is no evidence of any criminal activity or any third party involvement . emma kenny party involvement. emma kenny here's my theory. it's not about what's happened to nicola because i think it's completely inappropriate to speculate about that. but my theory of what might happened the might have happened with the police perhaps she has police is that perhaps she has these notes on her records that visited the in january . we visited the home in january. we don't details of that don't know the details of that particular visit a social, particular visit by a social, social worker or a community support officer. and perhaps the police. and from there , perhaps police. and from there, perhaps they've made an assumption . this they've made an assumption. this is clearly somebody who was , in is clearly somebody who was, in a position to take her own life and they've focussed on the river. the detail they announced yesterday about the drinking and river. the detail they announced yestmenopause the drinking and river. the detail they announced yestmenopause for; drinking and river. the detail they announced yestmenopause for me nking and river. the detail they announced yestmenopause for me wasg and river. the detail they announced yestmenopause for me was nothing the menopause for me was nothing short extraordinary and short of extraordinary and shocking . what's take on it shocking. what's your take on it 7 shocking. what's your take on it ? yeah, i agree with that because there's 30 million women on average going through the menopause in the uk at this moment in time. menopause in the uk at this moment in time . and a lot of moment in time. and a lot of those will, example , drink a those will, for example, drink a little than usual and feel little more than usual and feel

more vulnerable and they're not just every single just disappearing. every single day. there would be a whole depositional population if that were but think that were the case. but i think that it's for the police it's helpful for the police to be able hang on to that so be able to hang on to that so that some as we just know at that some of, as we just know at the failure so i do think the failure is. so i do think the failure is. so i do think the speculation has started to actually reasonable actually have some reasonable explanation for such as they didn't cordoned off the area and so on and so forth. and there are lots of things that i've listened to where police officers out and officers have come out and talked about that from their pnor talked about that from their prior experience and with great docs what they're trying prior experience and with great do do what they're trying prior experience and with great do do is what they're trying prior experience and with great do do is deflect they're trying prior experience and with great do do is deflect a1ey're trying prior experience and with great do do is deflect a little trying prior experience and with great do do is deflect a little biting to do is deflect a little bit and just not read the room and it's just not read the room at all. beth because what we know there was woman know is there was a woman missing, irrespective whether missing, irrespective of whether there were vulnerabilities which we respect, she's we all have with respect, she's missing . and the primary focus missing. and the primary focus is how do we bring her home? no. how we take highly confidential information and exploit that to our benefit. and that's what people are feeling. i have a father who took his own life. i'm very aware that when people go missing, they have to be clear about vulnerabilities. fine. well, that didn't happen a

few weeks ago. that wasn't expressed. this is a latter explanation for. behaviours that i think come to down failures. peter it seems obvious the police knew at the beginning of this investigation that these notes were in the history of that particular family. do you think it might have affected how they treated it? oh should they have gone? maybe public with that earlier ? the professional that earlier? the professional diver who was brought onto the scene to help said he didn't even know, but he was talking on breakfast on gb news this morning saying if he'd given that information, would have that information, i would have looked in a different looked for her in a different way. there's an way. clearly, there's been an attempt to this attempt to suppress this information, is information, which is astonishingly naive of the family must be talking to the police. and i would strongly that the police have been trying to give them some advice with to the media. well advice would be never take any media advice from lancashire constable ellery, because if this is an example of their work, they clearly don't know very much at all about how

to handle information , when to to handle information, when to divulge it, what to divulge. and of course if you don't trust the messaging, you're not going to trust the investigation . emma trust the investigation. emma that word trust is absolutely critical here, isn't it ? in your critical here, isn't it? in your experience, you've worked with families , as you say yourself, families, as you say yourself, very sadly, lost your father to this. i'm to suicide. i imagine that the relationship between the family and the police officers who will be in and out officers who will be in and out of their house at this time is absolutely critical. it's paramount. and i do feel that the family and the friends have had some real frustrations from the get go. when you have a human being in your world, that is just the most priceless individual and they're lost. they've disappeared. the reality is there is no explanation. she could have drowned. she could have taken her own life. she could have been abducted . these could have been abducted. these are all possibilities . and yet are all possibilities. and yet it feels like there was a bias. and we all know about psychological bias, confirmation biases. believe this . i need

biases. i believe this. i need to confirm that. the problem with police's job, with that is the police's job, as was just absolutely accurately described, is to essentially look at all avenues of investigation , to close of investigation, to close nothing off, and also forensically to be on high alert . and i think that the public, as much as there's a lot of criticism about people making these assumptions and armchair detectives. down detectives. it comes down to something armchair something when those armchair detectives actually talking detectives are actually talking about protocol that is about police protocol that is essentially and correct essentially factual and correct . and that seems to have been shall say, not necessarily in line where this investigation has been concerned. peter some people are now speculating with hope, actually, and it is the optimistic assessment might be that nicola just decided in a state of mental crisis that she could no longer live this life and has escaped. she's gone somewhere. how likely is that . somewhere. how likely is that. well, the police have told us that there is a pathway up towards garstang road , which towards garstang road, which they cannot be 100% convinced

that that nicola has passed through that way because because there's not sufficient space cctv so there is always the possibility that there working hypothesis their theory that nicola went into the water might not actually be what actually happened. not actually be what actually happened . but we shall have to happened. but we shall have to wait and see. of course everybody longs for a satisfactory resolution to this. but sadly, as time on, i think that more and more unlikely. what would you be doing now , what would you be doing now, peter, if you were in charge of this investigation? now, i know you would have done things differently, from day differently, perhaps from day one, were to step one, but if you were to step into this now, would your into this now, what would your strategy well, having sex, strategy be? well, having sex, the to this morning, the media to him this morning, which have the first which would have been the first thing i rode the thing to do if i rode the lancashire constabulary, i would once again be trying to put the genie back in the bottle in certain regards, in trying to regain public confidence , regain public confidence, because we know there are still motorists that passed along that road that may have dashcam footage, for example, that may have seen . and so to get the

have seen. and so to get the pubuc have seen. and so to get the public confidence and trust back, i would be appealing to those people and really to repair the damage that has been done. but it's been so catastrophic that i fear that simply might never be achieved. well we've all got offering cross positive resolution to this story, haven't we? thank you both so much. peter blakesley and emma kenney. right. still to come , we'll have right. still to come, we'll have the deputy leader of the scottish conservative msp, meghan gallagher , very shortly. meghan gallagher, very shortly. and with no clear successors to sturgeon, does this mean her dream of scottish independence is over? but first, on february the sixth, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern turkey and northwest syria. it has so far left over 41,000 dead, 17 million people have been affected , with many been affected, with many survivors now injured and homeless . here in britain, homeless. here in britain, donations have been pouring in, especially where large turkish populations are settled in north london. ellicott sotelo has the story . north london has the story. north london has the

largest turkish population in the uk . the community here has the uk. the community here has come together to send aid to people most devastated by the earthquake. abc transport is logistics company that specialises in transport sorting goods between the uk and turkey. it was three in the morning when we got a call from one of our truck drivers who said, look, there's been a serious earthquake in the region from 3 am. to 6 am. i remember it so clearly because we just sat there complete silence just in our heads thinking, what are we going to do? our company slogan is , let's lights in your load. is, let's lights in your load. so i just heard and i said, so ijust heard and i said, let's lighten turkey's load. and the whole thing has just unravelled itself . really. unravelled itself. really. jarrin was overwhelmed with donations enough to help thousands of people. many of the parcels were packed with care by local people. this is of those boxes that we've not touched . so boxes that we've not touched. so they've put in a press marshmallows . there's pads they've put in a press marshmallows. there's pads in

here , the soups. everything has here, the soups. everything has been bought me and a baby toy that might be useful and this i think this what touched us, the most was sending hugs on the card. and they basically said, stay strong. love that . magic stay strong. love that. magic room is the german's husband, abdullah is driving a convoy of seven lorries from london to the heart of the disaster zone . the heart of the disaster zone. the journey will take four days and will arrive today . some of the will arrive today. some of the team are already there distributing supplies to those in need. none of us were ever prepared for what we received in those 24 hours. we only had 4 hours sleep. not from the region, but my husband is. but i did say that i didn't think no one would be affected . i don't one would be affected. i don't think they'd been untouched and on thursday, my cousin, who's the consul general in his squadron, who liaises between syria and turkey , has passed syria and turkey, has passed

away . everyone working at abc is away. everyone working at abc is turkish and darren says the news is affecting them all. what's different with our office was is that we were getting live updates from our own teams that are working out in gaza on chip saying we're washing dead . i'd saying we're washing dead. i'd saying we're washing dead. i'd say the word describing as trauma traumatised would be a good description as to how we are . construction experts are. construction experts believe the collapse of thousands of buildings in turkey was preventable . turkish was preventable. turkish officials have said that rescue warrants, more than 100 people have been issued for failing to follow building codes. have been issued for failing to follow building codes . those follow building codes. those arrested so far include building contractors . i am very angry . arrested so far include building contractors. i am very angry . i contractors. i am very angry. i am very sad. things because the government is not nothing to do with the government . the with the government. the councils there , they should councils there, they should allow the people , the people, allow the people, the people, the houses without the regulation. for the team here, the focus is on aid parcels. it will be days before normal work

resumes . but for the millions of resumes. but for the millions of turks and syrians survived the earthquake, it will be several months, perhaps years before they can rebuild from the worst disaster in the region's modern history . ellie costello . gb history. ellie costello. gb news. thank you, ali. now my panelis news. thank you, ali. now my panel is back with me this morning. i'm delighted to be joined by former special adviser to michael gove, charlie rowley , of the , and the chair of the republicans overseas, greg swinson. morning, gentlemen . swinson. morning, gentlemen. right. you've also been getting in touch. i mean, this go some of your messages we were talking about that you saw about nicola bully that you saw the i can't the interview. i can't stop thinking about this woman in this says, i'm this story. joanne says, i'm utterly by this utterly appalled by this revelation that she may have been through menopause been going through the menopause and of course, and like to drink. so of course, she therefore stable. she was therefore on stable. well, there are well, you know what? there are many us out there functioning many of us out there functioning under all kinds of pressure, says i'm sure she was says joanne. i'm sure she was this revelation the this latest revelation for the police lowest the low in police the lowest of the low in every way. on every possible way. shame on them. people are that, them. a lot of people are that, charlie. i felt like that detail was merely to defend themselves

and press conference and that press conference yesterday was defensive . i yesterday was very defensive. i think right. and think think that's right. and i think it's important separate , as it's important to separate, as i think somebody said earlier on the investigation, that the police officer's taking to the police officer's taking to the police on the grounds that are clearly doing a good job and as best as they can to find nicola versus the communications team and the people that are in the back office that are actually instructing in what takes place. i has been a bit of a i think it has been a bit of a shambles and think, look, whenever there is a missing person story, it grips the nafion person story, it grips the nation and there are other stories like madeleine mccann , stories like madeleine mccann, who obviously we know and as a young girl went missing in portugal, claudia lawrence, the chef that in the university chef that was in the university of york. it about the of york. it is all about the unknown because nobody knows what's happened to nicola. whatever the circumstances are, i'm it's a terrible, terrible case. and we just hope that she can be found and that we can get some answers as quickly as possible. but that will only happenifi possible. but that will only happen if i think we can allow the police that are on the

ground to continue to do their job it well. i don't job and do it well. i don't think they are doing it particularly well, though, greg. well because in well it's difficult because in missing cases , have missing persons cases, you have to communicating with the to be communicating with the public, which makes the messaging and the communications team more urgent. you team all the more urgent. you can't just, you know, keep it private because need you private because you need you know, are people out know, if there are people out there can the police, there that can help the police, you need to be messaging to them. i think peter and emma them. so i think peter and emma brought up great points brought up some great points that the communications that it's the communications that it's the communications that a disaster. that have been a disaster. i don't think. i think it's difficult to criticise the police right now and police function right now and the search we don't really know but i but we can all agree that the messaging has been i think why i think i'm so critical of them all of that they assumed from the go that she was in from the get go that she was in the river. i assumed it was. the assumption was that she's she's drowned. that's it. yeah. all of that focus seemed to be there as peter was saying. and i was saying that they didn't cordon off the particular area. they didn't cordon off the bench. i imagine it's a missing 200,000

people in this country go missing every year. 90% of them will safe and well. will turn up safe and well. thank goodness . but it looks thank goodness. but it looks like they i been wondering why they assume she's in the river. what's the assumption now? this detail that detail has come out that apparently she likes to drink. i mean, we don't know to what extent. feel dreadfully extent. i feel dreadfully sorry for her under these circumstances. the idea that people are talking about you and your in this way, your absence in this way, charlie, it feels incredibly like taken away her. like they've taken away her. i so i think that's right. i do feel for her family at this time who are clearly going through. mean she's on every front page of the newspaper in the country and i think look you know there has been a serious breakdown in communication, particularly the diving look at diving team who said, look at noon, particular bit noon, this particular bit of information have information they might have taken elsewhere , taken their search elsewhere, which end either in a missing person's case. is person's case. time is everything . so it is incredibly everything. so it is incredibly good to be sad and i think questions will be asked of lancashire police how they have conducted this inquiry. but the main sure that main focus is to make sure that we find nicola and that her

families minds can be put at ease. yeah, absolutely. sasha said on email. i can't believe the incompetence of lancashire police to now say that nicola had alcohol and menopausal issues is disgusting. they had alcohol and menopausal issuesno disgusting. they had alcohol and menopausal issuesno thought�*ng. they had alcohol and menopausal issuesno thought to they had alcohol and menopausal issuesno thought to heray given no thought to how her family will hearing this? family will feel hearing this? if is somewhere this, if nicola is somewhere this, will not adversely affect her will it not adversely affect her mental even more? i mental health even more? i feel the statement the cover the statement somehow the cover that a woefully that backs in a woefully incompetent investigation from the . thank you. your the outset. thank you. keep your views coming. this morning. gbviews@gbnews.uk writes greg allen . elon musk was allen mosque. elon musk was talking at the world government summit on wednesday and it was in dubai and it was a room full of very and very powerful men, men predominantly. i don't there was a woman in the room and he did a speech on zoom onto the screen. and it was that the world government summit . and he world government summit. and he said, i know this is called the world governments summit, but i think we should be a little bit concerned about actually becoming too much of a single world government. have world government. does he have a point? course he has point.

point? of course he has a point. and name world and just the name world governments should be a governments summit should be a bit but you know, bit troubling. but you know, this is davos gone wild or maybe just another davos . and i think, just another davos. and i think, you know, it's quite natural for people be suspicious of these people to be suspicious of these elite just getting together and talking about the reset and all the other kind of rubbish that comes out of davos. so yeah, i think i think ellen has a point and yeah, and he's, you know, a very he's he's not he's definitely smart. we can't argue with that. and so when he speaks , he speaks like going back to president trump. he's very candid . and he says the things candid. and he says the things that many of us are thinking. and he's brave enough to say and he was only screened. that was about 25 high. charlie about 25 metres high. charlie and all of these men expected him to say a world government is brilliant idea. and i love the fact that he undermined it. well, , like, i'm going to well, again, like, i'm going to actually write like president trump. no end of sort of surprises when it comes to elon musk. but i do think that there

is a serious point because i think actually, greta the cooperation amongst sort of, you know, regions and nations is no bad thing . so i think this was bad thing. so i think this was there was a lot of scepticism around when these big events come together, political events, whether it's davos, whether it's things world economic things like the world economic forum like the forum or whether it's like the eu. course, there's eu. of course, there's scepticism being part of scepticism about being part of these big organisations and institutions, think the institutions, but i think the only progress, i only way you make progress, i think, is when you come think, is when you can come together and fix things that are happening right across the world, it's in the world, whether it's in the middle whether middle east or whether it's things china. this is things against china. this is these are issues where we as a west or and particularly as a europe and without american friends, to stand friends, we do need to stand closer become more closer together and become more united. and no. i would united. well yes and no. i would disagree with you so would disagree with you and so would elon because says elon musk, because he says if want if may say we want to want if i may say we want to avoid creating a civilizational risk. i mean, he takes that risk. i mean, he takes it that seriously by having he said, frankly, this might sound a little too much cooperation little bit too much cooperation between he talks between governments. he talks about fall of rome, which about the fall of rome, which took place in the took place in this place in the fifth century. read i

fifth century. i read that i could remember that top of my head as an example of civilisation he civilisation collapse. he points to advance in to the simultaneous advance in arts sciences among islamics arts and sciences among islamics societies. so was saying societies. so he was saying basically a some cultures and a commune , cities and nations do commune, cities and nations do well at certain times. others don't do so. but he says while rome was falling, islam was rising. so you had caliphate doing well while rome was doing terribly. and that ended up being the source of preservation , of knowledge many , of knowledge and many scientific advancements. this same schwab on the same event, klaus schwab on the stage saying that technology is changing our life and if you are there, you will have the power to run the world. that's the messaging which scares people and and that's and it should. and that's why instead calling world instead of calling it the world government form, know, call government form, you know, call it the big government forum. so statism is what trouble statism is what should trouble people. i'm all for governments of getting together, of the world getting together, especially on security issues . especially on security issues. that's why we have the un, even though for the most though they are, for the most part, but that's part, a failure. but but that's important , part, a failure. but but that's important, you part, a failure. but but that's important , you know, to part, a failure. but but that's important, you know, to preserve peace. but a bit more government big government statism is what should trouble people . and i

should trouble people. and i think musk absolutely the think elon musk absolutely the homogenisation of well of countries around the world. i want to talk about sam smith . want to talk about sam smith. sam smith is a pop star who identifies as being neither male or female. he was doing an interview on the bbc and somebody asked him, what do despair time? and he said, somebody asked him, what do despairtime? and he said, i'm despair time? and he said, i'm a fish to them , i'm a fish to fish to them, i'm a fish to them. so a fisherman, not a fish, are well known. a fish of them had a little wry smile on his face, charlie, when he said it. is this way. we want our language to go. no and look, you know is whether you're know it is whether you're a postman or a person or a, you know, a firefighter, as opposed to refinement, i think, you know, we can get into too much into the weeds about things like this. and of, you know, for this. and it of, you know, for the majority of the overwhelming majority of fishermen, they'll be fishermen, i think they'll be slightly gobsmacked. but particularly comes at a time where i think sam smith has called for and we had a gender neutral awards. i think it might have been the brits went to try and accommodate particular language and we ended up having

four male winners of a gender neutral award. that's what happened is, ladies and gentlemen , i'm going to get your gentlemen, i'm going to get your thoughts on that in a minute, greg. we've still to come this morning does the fight for scottish independence with scottish independence end with nicola resignation? nicola sturgeon's resignation? we britain . see we finally a united britain. see you in a few minutes.

it's 11:00 on thursday, the 16th of february. i'm bev turner today, scotland's longest serving first minister, nicholas sturgeon dramatically resigned after eight years in power. i'm asking what will she be most remembered for? who are the likely candidates to replace her? is this a victory by a logical women? and what does this mean for the future of an independent scotland? please have this morning been accused of victim blaming after they revealed mum nicola boli revealed missing mum nicola boli suffered alcoholism in the suffered from alcoholism in the months before she vanished . is

months before she vanished. is it to highlight this or it right to highlight this or have the police failed? nicola police family. the preliminary covid inquiry, which was started only days ago, could face a only two days ago, could face a delay by up to a month. i'll tell you why in the hour. has the fight for scottish independence died with nicola sturgeon's resignation? let me know your thoughts. email me, gb views at gb news dot uk or tweet to me at gb news. lots more this morning, but first, let's get you up to date with the news headunes. you up to date with the news headlines . there of. thank you. headlines. there of. thank you. good morning. it's 11:01. headlines. there of. thank you. good morning. it's11:01. i'm bethany elsey . your top stories bethany elsey. your top stories from the gb newsroom. the search for a new first minister of scotland is underway after nicola sturgeon announced her unexpected decision to stand down. she plans to remain in office until her successor is elected. the snp's executive

committee will meet this evening to draw up a time table for a leadership race. possible replacements include the deputy first minister john swinney replacements include the deputy first ministerjohn swinney and first minister john swinney and finance secretary kate forbes. a new method of screening ambulance calls is to be introduced in england in an effort to reduce waiting times . effort to reduce waiting times. ambulance crews will now review category two calls, which are not immediately life threatening . these calls include conditions ranging from heart attacks and strokes to burns and severe headaches. strokes to burns and severe headaches . around 40% of these headaches. around 40% of these patients will receive a call back from a doctor and nurse or a paramedic to see if there's an alternative to sending an ambulance . ministers have ambulance. ministers have announced . an extra ambulance. ministers have announced. an extr a £421 million announced. an extra £421 million to boost alcohol and drug and recovery across england. the new funding will be given to 151 councils to fund initiatives aimed at tackling addiction and cutting crime, such as recruiting more staff. but the recovery support for prison

leavers and investment in treatment, the government says it could prevent nearly 1000 drug related deaths . we know drug related deaths. we know that drug addiction drives so much crime, it drives about half of all crime . and because we of all crime. and because we know that people get into drug treatment, that radically reduces their likelihood that there will be out there causing chaos and causing crime. and so we're making this big investment that will mean more people in treatment, new types of treatment, new types of treatment, and as well as being good for all the rest of us and cutting crime. of course, it's a is a path out of terrible, terrible addiction for the people who are trapped in it. labouris people who are trapped in it. labour is promising to recruit an extra 30,000 community police officers tackle anti—social behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election. speaking in last hour, the shadow home secretary condemned a complete collapse of home office leadership on crime and policing under the conservative eves.is policing under the conservative eves. is that cooper also unveiled labour's neighbourhood

policing guarantee assigning pc sos to every community to increase police visibility . but increase police visibility. but the home office claim that proposed investment is a 10th of what the government is currently delivering . british gas owner delivering. british gas owner centrica posted profits of £3.3 billion. that's more than triple what it made last year. it comes after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat leader ed davey has called the announcement a betrayal for british gas customers and called on the government to implement a proper windfall tax . meanwhile, one in windfall tax. meanwhile, one in three small businesses might not be able to cover their energy bills from april when the price guarantee rises. it's expected to increase by 20% and at the same time government will phase down its support for firms. new research by experian has found around 30% of the 1.2 million

small businesses it analysed will be at heightened risk of collapse in the spring. employees in campaign groups have criticised lancashire police for its handling of the case of missing mother of two, nicola bailey. case of missing mother of two, nicola bailey . yesterday nicola bailey. yesterday detectives revealed ms. bailey was vulnerable, classed as high risk and disclosed her issues with alcohol linked to the struggles with menopause. that she faced. the 45 year old disappeared almost three weeks ago. tory mp alicia cain said she's deeply uncomfortable with this level of detail and under what birth to underwater rescue expert peter folding. he's been involved in the search says the police aren't to blame . i still police aren't to blame. i still feel so sorry for them that it's been released . this wife should been released. this wife should never have come out. they could have just told us on the quiet press. wouldn't have known. no, we would just changed. we would just been changed. everything i still so like i said , i really think you're said, i really think you're getting beaten up here. this is terrible because it's not the police. it'sjust terrible because it's not the police. it's just the claims piece where we had. this might

these needs to answer these decisions needs to answer lots of questions that's not not the place that's not a family, that's regroup, get together and then redo this search again. so we actually could try and get some closure for this poor family. the number of people who've died following major earthquake that struck southern turkey and northern syria has risen to almost 42,000. turkey's disaster and emergency authority says more than 4300 aftershocks have hit the country since the initial quake. it's been ten days since the disaster first struck. and rescue efforts are continuing. yesterday a 13 year old boy was pulled from the rubble alive after being trapped . for 228 hours in. you're up to date on gb news. we'll bring you more news as it happens. now let's get back to this .

let's get back to this. so the search is now underway to find a new leader of the scottish national party after nicholas sturgeon announced her resignation during this show yesterday, announcing her decision to quit. sturgeon said she would stay on until the next leader elected refused to leader is elected but refused to back anyone as a successor . and back anyone as a successor. and despite facing criticism over her party's gender recognition laws , sturgeon said her decision laws, sturgeon said her decision to go was not based on recent issues. about gender. but is that true? and does sturgeon's exit mean the united kingdom will survive? joining me now is the deputy of the scottish conservatives, megan gallagher. good morning, meghan . great to good morning, meghan. great to see you. first of all, tell me how you greeted this news yesterday . well i mean, i think yesterday. well i mean, i think nicholas sturgeon left scotland a more divided country than when she first entered office. and you know, the best description, i think , of her time in office

i think, of her time in office was hard taking advice off the ball. if we look at nhs waiting times , if we look at the drugs times, if we look at the drugs they've scandal, the ferry fiasco and of course nicola sturgeon failing to make education her number one priority , which is a brilliant priority, which is a brilliant way of saying what she did wrong, but kind of avoiding my question, which is to say, how did you feel personally when you heard that she was leaving? were you surprised? were you delighted ? i was surprised . delighted? i was surprised. however, you know, i think leadership does take is tool eventually on everybody. and thatis eventually on everybody. and that is regardless of, you eventually on everybody. and that is regardless of , you know, that is regardless of, you know, political party or political persuasion. so you know, i think everyone naturally comes to the decision we are they no longer feel that they are able to continue on in that role. you find it somewhat you've got a bit of sympathy for her. meghan no . mean not some. not sympathy no. mean not some. not sympathy . i think i sympathise from her, you know, in terms of, you know, being woman msp nicholas being a woman msp and nicholas sturgeon the first female first

minister. so i do have some sympathies there. but in terms of our record and our time and office as first minister, then sorry, i don't because her record is appalling. this is the irony though , isn't it, meghan, irony though, isn't it, meghan, for people like us who want to see more women wielding, more influence, having a powerful role in politics, it is quite heartbreaking when someone who's done a bit in opposition for so long, whether you agree with their politics or not, which neither of us do, i think it is. it is there is a there is a tinge of sadness that she hasn't managed to last the distance. however, how ironic that what probably for was her probably did for her was her gender in which she gender ideology, in which she seems put forward, not seems to always put forward, not seems to always put forward, not seem categoric only seem to she categoric only couldn't answer what a biological woman was. it would have been so easy, wouldn't it, for to there are women for her to say there are women and are trans women. but and there are trans women. but she wouldn't make that commitment . why not? well, i commitment. why not? well, i mean, i think she back to show up into a corner and she failed to take into account the concerns that women were raising right from start of the process

of the agenda recognition reform bill. and you know, eventually got to the point where she was refused to call a violent rapist, a man and saw from the exchanges between nicholas sturgeon and douglas ross the first minister's questions that she eventually backed off into a corner , that she could no longer corner, that she could no longer get herself out of. and now , of get herself out of. and now, of course, one consequence of this is that scottish politicians , is that scottish politicians, media offices have had to dust their phones off and start taking calls from the of me wanting to hear from all you have to say. one upside of this is that as we run into the next general election, everyone is going to very interested in going to be very interested in what's happening the what's happening north of the border . but definitely, i what's happening north of the border. but definitely, i think all eyes are on scotland now and what's going to happen and who's going to succeed. nicholas sturgeon of course it's going to come as no surprise and i don't have a prepared candidate. it's the job of the official opposition, the second largest party in scotland, the scottish conservatives, to make sure that we can get rid of the snp

government come the next election. and of course when it comes the general election comes to the general election that seats that we're winning more seats here the border. now, here north of the border. now, of people who are of course the people who are celebrating this morning are the scottish labour party . they are scottish labour party. they are saying this is a victory for they won seat up north the they won one seat up north the last election. but today they're saying that they think they're going 25. what's your going to get 25. what's your response to that? mean, response to that? i mean, i think i think they've been a little bit pre—emptive of the result, to be honest. i mean, we are the second largest party in scotland, and i think it's the scottish conservatives who are most likely to benefit from the fall in support of the snp from the election. the last general election. you know, rural scotland, know, of course rural scotland, for example , there's a number of for example, there's a number of tight constituency seats we tight constituency seats that we are fight for in the are planning to fight for in the upcoming general election . we've upcoming general election. we've got another one mp, as you see, and you know, looking across scotland, i think there's very few obvious that come to mind where they can target . and the where they can target. and the fact is, you the most marginal seats are between us and the

snp. so i that's where the fight is going to be. we've seen what happens when there a leadership battle down here in westminster. we've had enough of them make and frankly for the last 12 months. but what it does, it focuses a lot of attention on that particular political party. this is what the snp are now going to be dealing with . going to be dealing with. they've got their conference. i next month. if they're still going ahead with that, with nicholas sturgeon as the leader of in waiting, effectively a kind of de facto leader for the time being . how will you, as time being. how will you, as scottish conservatives , push scottish conservatives, push back against all of the attention that they're about to get? well, i mean, i think we're going to focus on things that matter to the people of scotland . the snp are a one trick pony as we see time and time again. you know, the special conference again was focus on as a to again was to focus on as a to underpin the referendum . we underpin the referendum. we actually want to see a scotland and a government that and a scottish government that focuses on things housing, focuses on things like housing, like nhs s like an education like our nhs s like an education system . they're the things that

system. they're the things that people want to speak about. and we to doorstep and we get to the doorstep and they're getting that they're not getting that from they're not getting that from the going to offer the snp. so we going to offer the snp. so we going to offer the alternative that the new alternative that scotland what we're scotland and that's what we're focusing what focusing on just and that's what we planning on the october we are planning on the october one party conference which will happen strength. now whoever happen in strength. now whoever becomes the next leader of the snp beat john swinney, angus robertson kate forbes. will they come swinging for another independence referendum or will that be a political suicide for them ? i mean , think we'll need them? i mean, think we'll need to wait and see? i mean, that doesn't seem to be as we see, you know, necessarily a front runner as it stands. and i think we'll need to see who the donors and there's just the and maybe there's just the emerge what their version as emerge and what their version as and before can we can look to and before we can we can look to see their their plan is see what their and their plan is and we'll will have to do with independence. let's face and nationalism as they're driven . nationalism as they're driven. however, i don't want to see that from any candidate. what i would like to see is for once the scottish government focus on

what matters. i do not want to see any more arguments over. another independence referendum that argument is well settled . that argument is well settled. if the people of scotland do not want another independence referendum and, i think the next party and first minister of snp andindeed party and first minister of snp and indeed scotland, that's what they're focussed needs to be on. it needs to be on the people of scotland, not this you no nonsense another nonsense about another referendum . okay. thank you to referendum. okay. thank you to leader of the scottish conservatives. meghan gallagher , joining me. , thank you for joining me. meghan of the many faces meghan is one of the many faces you're going to see a lot more of in the media in the next few months as scotland slug it out north political parties, north now at political parties, marianne if think marianne has said, if you think that independence dead in that independence is dead in the water, know about water, you know nothing about the do you the scots people. what do you think, gbviews@gbnews.uk still to are going to come, the markel's are going head to head. meghan markle's half samantha , has half sister, samantha, has claimed that the duchess of sussex defied her in order to cover up her false rags to fiches cover up her false rags to riches story, say in a few minutes . alex deakin here with minutes. alex deakin here with your latest weather updates of

cloud around today. the winds are going to be the big feature of the weather tonight and particularly tomorrow morning across parts of the north. we have met yellow warnings have met office yellow warnings in . that's because of this in place. that's because of this area of pressure deepening area of low pressure deepening as moves to the north of as it moves to the north of scotland at squeeze in the scotland at the squeeze in the eyes us, those really eyes of us, those winds really picking especially through picking up, especially through friday morning . more on that in friday morning. more on that in a moment. let's get through the rest today. as said, a lot rest of today. as i said, a lot of cloud out there, some drizzly conditions over parts of eastern england, away odd spot england, clearing away odd spot of elsewhere, of drizzle elsewhere, but something brighter something a bit brighter developing east wales, developing parts of east wales, northeast england may see northeast england may well see some spells before more some sunny spells before more rain pushes back into . northern rain pushes back into. northern ireland mild out there ireland pretty mild out there today. double digits almost across the board a bit of across the board with a bit of brightness. we get into brightness. we could get into the teens this evening. that rain is going spread northern rain is going to spread northern ireland western scotland ireland into western scotland where it will last all night. there around getting heavier and heavier through night heavier through the night as that low pressure in, the that low pressure moves in, the winds then steadily winds also then steadily increasing really up increasing really picking up after midnight across the northwest . but the south, well,

northwest. but the south, well, it'll get a bit breezy, stays cloudy. look at these overnight temperatures . very indeed. temperatures. very mild indeed. we won't mild tomorrow in the winds . those winds really winds. those winds really whipping up tomorrow morning in scotland. initially also down across of northern england across parts of northern england , of 60, 70 miles an hour, , gusts of 60, 70 miles an hour, likely to cause some disruption, particularly high sided vehicles, but could cause some flying debris. certainly some disruption to the transport networks, planes flights may be cancelled . so very blustery that cancelled. so very blustery that across the north of in the far north, again further south, many places just dry and cloudy. it will be windier than today. and then we could times see then we could at times see a little bit of rain in the southwest, another mild day southwest, another very mild day across south further across the south further north. it a cold day despite it will be a cold day despite a bit more sunshine. obviously bit more sunshine. but obviously feeling with those feeling a lot colder with those winds. now, those winds will be easing the and into the easing through the and into the evening, but more rain coming in to northwest as go to the northwest as we go through friday evening. more details weather warnings details on the weather warnings on office website. on the met office website. good bye .

welcome back. with 1119, this is bev turner today on gb news. still to come, we're going to be looking into crime and why it's on rise, especially in rural areas. i'll tell you why that is and what the government is doing to help out before midday. don't miss it now, let me introduce you to my guests this morning. i'm still joined former i'm still joined by former special gove, special advisor michael gove, charlie and the chairman charlie rowley and the chairman of overseas , of the republicans overseas, greg swensen. greg greg swensen. right. greg i don't know how americans feel about meghan markle right now. i know you can't speak for the whole of but as our whole of america, but as our token this morning, is she still as popular there? if she was a year ago, absolutely not. year ago, no, absolutely not. and there's this and i think there's this misconception she is misconception that she is popular that harris is popular and that harris is popular and that harris is popular us but it's popular in the us but it's really just because some of the late night comedians adore them and continue to adore them. and so, yes, some of , you know,

so, yes, some of, you know, traditional media outlets as well as the late night comedians have a fondness for them , is not have a fondness for them, is not shared by the american people. so and that wasn't the case two years ago, that's for sure . mean years ago, that's for sure. mean she she was warmly embraced and so was harry originally in the us but they're low hanging fruit aren't they. if you want someone to poke a bit of fun off, they've become parodies of themselves via their netflix drama harry's book or the interviews? and you interviews? absolutely and you know, they a know, again, they had a following it a very following and it was a very positive following. and they've they've self—destruct . they've really self—destruct. same here, charlie. that's my take on it, we loved meghan markle when she first came along that wedding brilliant, that wedding was brilliant, dragging royal family into dragging the royal family into the 21st century. it's all going wrong specifically today. this is the that samantha , is the fact that her samantha, she appeared in court. yes at a virtual court hearing. she's accusing her sister of defamation, basically using a false rags to riches narrative. this is and this is could end pretty badly for meghan markle,

couldn't it? well it's impossible to believe that anything could be fabricated or the story could be have additional drama . a dramatic additional drama. a dramatic licence to apply to, to, to their lives . but i think you're their lives. but i think you're absolutely right. and it gets to the of what you were saying that this is a couple who have pleaded for privacy and yet have gone through an oprah interview . you have had a netflix series that now an autobiography autobiography by harry gould that just reveals too much . that just reveals too much. yeah. and information that is constantly being challenged , constantly being challenged, even during that netflix documentary, using of what seem to be mass crowds of paparazzi wasn't even totally unrelated to them at all. it was a government event that they weren't at this. this is the pushback now , isn't this is the pushback now, isn't it? i mean, is it isn't just as said, greg, it isn't just a british thing that we like to bnng british thing that we like to bring people down who after a while who've books while and who've written books and about themselves and have series about themselves . but this is when that kind of pride and hubris comes home to roost. right. and i think , you roost. right. and i think, you know, reactions in both

know, the reactions in both countries are very similar, you know, americans rags to know, but americans rags to fiches know, but americans rags to riches they do. they riches stories, they do. they just don't like fake ones . and just don't like fake ones. and so, you know, i don't know if it's worthy of a libel case. i don't think the case will work, actually. but no. but it doesn't mean that it's good thing, you mean that it's a good thing, you know. so think rags to know. so i think this rags to fiches know. so i think this rags to riches argument she made, i mean, went to northwestern, mean, she went to northwestern, very to get very elite, very hard to get into , was in a very exclusive into, was in a very exclusive sorority called kappa, you know, the beautiful sorority this the rags to riches thing is not going to fly. her father was quite successful in hollywood. a lighting director. yeah yeah, it wasn't. she you know, in the struggles through poverty, she didn't grow up in watts in la. i mean, this is a bit of an exaggeration. and again if it was true, i think americans would love that. you know, if the princess story, you know, but, you know, that's i think she's using that . she obviously she's using that. she obviously likes to, you know, appeal . to likes to, you know, appeal. to for pity which is crazy , you for pity which is crazy, you know, everybody should you know,

i think people would be quite envious where she cast herself as the victim repeatedly doesn't loves the victims. funnily enough, nicholas sturgeon enough, when nicholas sturgeon was resigning yesterday, my inbox full people saying, inbox was full of people saying, is to do a meghan is she going to do a meghan markle itself as the markle and pass itself as the victim become a victim here? it's become a thing, it? her sister, thing, hasn't it? her sister, interestingly enough, samantha, she's asking for $75,000 in she's only asking for $75,000 in damages. it seems to go quite around. and by the time she's paid the legal fees of that, she's going to end up with $10,000, markle $10,000, maybe meghan markle should she got 30 should just give it. she got 30 million, whatever it was the million, whatever it was for the netflix nine. so was it nice that me the i don't think that to me for the i don't think these numbers are enormous these numbers are so enormous i think he got 30 million for his book and they got under the 50 million the million or so for the documentary she should documentary series. she should just money, just give it the money, shouldn't she, charlie? well, you know, way out of it, i you know, one way out of it, i suppose you could just do that. which question to which begs the question as to why, know, this story just why, you know, this story just adds narrative of being adds to the narrative of being the know, not only adds to the narrative of being th the know, not only adds to the narrative of being ththe public know, not only adds to the narrative of being ththe public against. not only adds to the narrative of being ththe public against the: only adds to the narrative of being ththe public against the media, is the public against the media, the establishment, meghan's own family now turning against family are now turning against us. so where is me ? yeah, quite. us. so where is me? yeah, quite. woe is me now talking of woe is

me. some people who genuinely have to be concerned have something to be concerned aboutis have something to be concerned about is those people in the country who are genuinely suffering mental health suffering from mental health conditions. charity boss has conditions. the charity boss has warned mental health in this warned the mental health in this country is currently the worst it has ever been and. they've cited the cost of living covid pandemic recovery , global pandemic recovery, global instability is ground grinding . instability is ground grinding. people down were feeling all week. greg at the moment, yeah i think it goes back, you know , to think it goes back, you know, to our earlier conversation you know this is government you know statism or over government regulation gone wild you know this we should have all expected this we should have all expected this during the lockdowns where they were keeping people in their homes, their upkeep, keeping people from socialising you no surprise, surprise. there's mental health issues immediately or a year or two after. so you know i think that the government asleep at the wheel on many of this and not just the uk government the governments the world you you'll

make a of . asked michael make a form of. asked michael gove what he think about seeing this seeing that this is this now and seeing that this is the consequence of draconian restrictions during the pandemic , taken on a decision basis by only listening to one side of the scientific community. what are politicians feeling about this now that in the this now that we're in the hangover ? well, i think he'd be hangover? well, i think he'd be like everybody worried to see that actually the health of the nation's health is taking turn nation's health is taking a turn for worse in way in which for the worse in way in which nobody would want to see. but we knew was going happen. knew it was going happen. charlie. think that's charlie. well, i think that's why inquiry into the covid why an inquiry into the covid has to happen and should happen. and this absolutely does need to be particular, be looked at. in particular, we're children's we're talking about children's health, article health, which as the article will be the next health crisis , will be the next health crisis, mental health crisis for the next generation is a really, really important factor. and i think, look, you know, these are numbers that actually you couldn't see and you can't you can count all the covid cases, the number of vaccines deployed. and it does give people a sense of success, but actually it's

the numbers of people that you can't count number of cases, people that are infected by mental health or any other diseases that won't count during covid pandemic. i think that really does to be looked covid pandemic. i think that rea butioes to be looked covid pandemic. i think that rea but you to be looked covid pandemic. i think that rea but you didn'to be looked covid pandemic. i think that rea but you didn't have looked covid pandemic. i think that rea but you didn't have to�*ked covid pandemic. i think that rea but you didn't have to bei covid pandemic. i think that rea but you didn't have to be a at. but you didn't have to be a psychologist, you, to work psychologist, did you, to work out locked up out that if we locked up teenagers during their formative years, mask children in years, if we mask children in schools, we instilled this schools, if we instilled this hideous culture of fear , fear, hideous culture of fear, fear, fear for a virus which was never any risk to the young , this was any risk to the young, this was always going to happen . why is always going to happen. why is it that if anybody raised those sorts of issues in meetings that time they would just be ignored ? they just weren't the people in the room to raise those issues? well, i think as a people, i think the inquiry needs look at the needs to look at all of the discussions that took place and how were made. how decisions were made. think the being led by the the nation was being led by the government , was following the government, was following the science and it was being followed once while science saw the bubble, the government said it and dismissing any it faltering and dismissing any science that was that was contrary to what their beliefs were. and buried the

were. and they buried the parents declaration. of course . parents declaration. of course. so there's been no apology. it's just a shocking, been no apologies or regrets from from this very politician that were advocating and insisting that children should be masked and teenagers should be locked at home and shouldn't be in school and yet. you know, it was quite obvious at that time not i mean, i'm not talking about march of 2020, but surely later in the year and into 21, when it was quite obvious that these these restrictions were unnecessary and they weren't following the science , were following a couple science, were following a couple of models that were proven ridiculous, pretty early on in the process. so yeah . do you the process. so yeah. do you have any faith that they're going to be talking about covid inquiry in just moments? actually fact it's actually and the fact that it's been but you think been delayed? but do you think the ask these the covid inquiry ask these questions? have no faith, questions? i have no faith, charlie. i'm we have to wait and see and it's difficult for me because i it was part of a conversation on the wing that sort of wanted to see things open up, particularly in creative industries where, you

know, things know, lockdown and where things could done. i thought could have been done. i thought better. yeah. and what was better. but yeah. and what was the argument, though? was it just at what just we couldn't look at what nicola we're going to nicola doing and we're going to go harder on our on go even more harder on our on our restriction. we go we've got to nicholas sturgeon to be to beat nicholas sturgeon to be the draconian and give the most draconian and to give this impression are this impression that we are looking country. looking after our country. that's problem this that's the problem this patrician attitude which has supped patrician attitude which has slipped into government . was slipped into government. was that when you were met with . that when you were met with. well, i think you you had sir chris whitty and patrick vallance , who are the leading vallance, who are the leading scientists and medical professionals of the country that were the that were advising the government the time. i think that were advising the govworstent the time. i think that were advising the govworst case the time. i think that were advising the govworst case is|e time. i think that were advising the govworst case is perhapsi think that were advising the govworst case is perhaps when the worst case is perhaps when things to . a one and tried things got to. a one and tried to outdo each other competitive in terms of, you know, how difficult the restrictions could have been, say, when we had the teetering and ended teetering system and you ended up to an area up being next door to an area that was in the green zone versus the red. yeah, it was it was too complicated for its own good. but as i the inquiry needs to all of this and to look at all of this and lessons do need to be learned. i think that's absolutely to think that's absolutely case to make there is ever

make sure that if there is ever another or anything make sure that if there is ever anotwe or anything make sure that if there is ever anotwe see or anything make sure that if there is ever anotwe see on or anything make sure that if there is ever anotwe see on thisr anything make sure that if there is ever anotwe see on this scale,1ing make sure that if there is ever anotwe see on this scale, that that we see on this scale, that we to deal with it we know how to deal with it better and make sure that we prevent the kind of stories that we're hearing as the we're hearing today as the mental crisis. well, mental health crisis. well, baroness conducting baroness hallett is conducting this inquiry. and as i say, we're going to be talking about this in just a moment. whether you've greg, you've had much time, greg, i know busy man to look know you're a busy man to look at the terms of reference of the covid inquiry, the ask covid inquiry, but until the ask for charity got involved, for them charity got involved, i didn't a remit to look didn't even have a remit to look at the effects on children. right, which is just amazing to me probably the me that they were probably the ones and ones who suffered the most and as you said, you know, it was no risk little to no risk. so it's pretty outrageous that they almost like they want almost it seems like they want to sweep the rug to sweep it under the rug because i think so many them because i think so many of them will really coming out will look really bad coming out of so maybe it's of this inquiry. so maybe it's self—interest that they didn't want to really open open up, you know, many of these issues . know, to many of these issues. but it has to be done. and think, you know, this this was a complete many levels. it complete on so many levels. it was well , regardless how you was well, regardless of how you feel detail of the feel about the detail of the experience, will be holding experience, i will be holding them on gb news.

them to account here on gb news. as said, talking to as i said, maybe talking to somebody a moment about somebody in just a moment about the covid inquiry, but also still to there is a male still to come, there is a male contraceptive pill which is apparently it gives you 100% protection against pregnancy. i'll tell you all about it. that's after the morning's news .thank that's after the morning's news . thank you. good morning. it's just past half past 11. i'm bethany elsey in the gb news the search for a new first minister of scotland is underway after. nicola sturgeon's surprise decision to stand down. she to remain in office until his success is elected. the snp executive committee will meet this evening to draw up a timetable for the leadership race. possible include the deputy first minister john swinney and. finance secretary kate forbes . labour will recruit kate forbes. labour will recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers to tackle anti—social behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election . the they win the next election. the shadow home secretary unveiled

for a neighbourhood policing guarantee assigning officers and pcsos to every community. the home office claim their investment is a 10th of what the government is currently delivering. but yvette cooper criticised , the conservatives criticised, the conservatives for their hands off to policing, claiming not enough is being done so want to talk today about what's been a complete collapse in home office leadership on crime and policing under the conservatives, how they've stood back while neighbourhood policing has crumbled, while the charge rate has plummeted, while comfort and policing and the criminal justice system have fallen . while more victims are fallen. while more victims are being let down and more criminals are getting off . a new criminals are getting off. a new method of screening ambulance calls is to be introduced in england in an effort to reduce waiting times. ambulance crews will now review category two calls, which are not immediately threatening. they include conditions ranging from heart attacks and strokes to burns and

severe headaches . around 40% of severe headaches. around 40% of these patients will receive a call back from a doctor, nurse or paramedic to see if there's an alternative to sending an ambulance . and british gas owner ambulance. and british gas owner centrica has posted profits of £33 centrica has posted profits of £3.3 billion. that's more than triple what it made the year before . it's after ofgem before. it's after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company's installing pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat ed davis called the announcement a betrayal for british gas customers and called on the government to implement proper windfall tax . you're up to date windfall tax. you're up to date on tv , online and tv plus radio on tv, online and tv plus radio . this is gb news. now it's back to this this . the absolutely to this this. the absolutely critical covid inquiry was meant to start two days ago, but it already a delay of up to one month. that's right, one month. i'll tell you why. it's delayed

and what this means bereaved and what this means for bereaved families. don't want to miss families. you don't want to miss this .

welcome back. it's 1136 welcome back. it's1136 now. new welcome back. it's 1136 now. new data suggests that knife crime in home counties has gone up ten times higher than ten years ago. the rise of county line drugs, gangs are a factor in the increase in violence in rural areas as criminals are being pushed out to urban areas. meanwhile, the chairman of west midlands federation has called for to tackling for a new approach to tackling violent crime and gathering. let's more now from gb news let's get more now from gb news is west midlands reporter jack carson. jack . carson. good morning, jack. well, good morning . bev. we know well, good morning. bev. we know that knife crime is on the increase 11% in the last around 12 months as an increase as well as around 50% increase in

england in knife crime with england in knife crime with england and wales compared to march 2012. over the last decade as you mentioned. so we know it's on the up and it means that what we're looking for and what many of the police are looking for is a new approach, and particularly the politicians. we heard shadow home secretary heard the shadow home secretary today, yvette cooper, in in her in her speech , essentially how in her speech, essentially how she and the labour party, the labour would a labour government, would take a new approach to policing the formation neighbourhood new approach to policing the formatio teamseighbourhood new approach to policing the formatio teams ,jhbourhood new approach to policing the formatio teams , the»urhood new approach to policing the formatio teams , the recruitment policing teams, the recruitment of 13,000 more police officers to have a presence within the community, an increase of 4000 pcsos to have police officers at the heart of that community. and it's similar to what the chair of the west midlands police federation cooke has been saying. i spoke to him about how he thinks policing should change and this is what he had to say say . we've been calling for say. we've been calling for a long time for a return to policing which is embedded in local communities, which then gives us the intelligence we

need to react and respond as opposed to waiting until the events happen. and that that's talking about things like sexual , sicko, use of section 60, which can be controversial with some. but i think we should be using far more before event. you know, parliament gave us these powers and we're simply not using them the degree that we should . i think this needs to be should. i think this needs to be about really tough enforcement, unapologetic enforcement, particularly around knife possession that can have certainty that if they're found with a knife in public without reasonable excuse, they're going to be arrested . they're going to to be arrested. they're going to be taken to custody and they are going to be looking at a charge and going to court. that hasn't happened by anywhere near enough of course, we've got to prevent

knife crime, and that's the other side of you know, and that is why i talk specific with regard to policing about having police officers who have the time in the space in their communities that they know well because work there and they're able to get to know the areas well. listening to that when you look at the stats in the west midlands, there's been a 32% increase in knife crime. that's the largest percentage increase is pretty , pretty covid levels. is pretty, pretty covid levels. the knife crime levels here are above what they were before the pandemic in the conservative party in response to event cooper's speech today saying that they are set to meet that target of recruiting 20,000 police police officers by april and they say that they are still the party of law and order. but labour saying they struggle to believe that we know of course. what was interesting actually with what richard cook as well

in that interview when i spoke to him he mentioned that actually when you have police in the community, what you get is a greater trust within the community and. therefore, when you need to look into crimes that there is already a level intelligence because intelligence there because people in the community can trust to and speak to their trust to go and speak to their police officers. a police officers. and it's a return to almost what the police originally was backed by by robert peel about being in the community to keep those communities safe . and that's community to keep those comnhe'sies safe . and that's community to keep those comnhe's sayingz . and that's community to keep those comnhe's saying needs that's community to keep those comnhe's saying needs be it's community to keep those comnhe's saying needs be done what he's saying needs be done in order to help bring down these crime levels . thank these knife crime levels. thank you, jack. it's a very depressing topic. thank you very much for illuminating it for us. okay. you have been in touch about nicholas sturgeon. josh has said i've sincerely hope sturgeon does at least one good thing for scotland before leaving office and relinquishes the powers she handed to the unelected greens. no one voted for, however, she away . that for, however, she got away. that is right ? then is mind boggling right? then they we have we want to get hold of some talk about the covid

inquiry having some technical issues. luckily i have two superb political analysts with me now. this is a story. greg swinson. i wanted talk about it broken social media and it is surrounded a little bit of mystery as to why american media has gone baker on this some people are calling it potentially the biggest environmental disaster in the history of america . tell us what history of america. tell us what happened. yeah there was a massive train derailment out in a very small town called east palatine in the eastern part of ohio. so closer to pittsburgh, 25 miles or so from pittsburgh. and it was a massive environmental disaster, basically filled with chemical that that in the handling of it has been rather controversial because they did a you know, they actually burned the cars after they derailed. they came in and thought that , you know, in and thought that, you know, it's better to burn off the chemicals than to. and the image is poor. it's like a massive mushroom cloud and it's one of those stories which was actually better by the public on the

grounds than it was by the mainstream media and in the mainstream media and in the mainstream media and in the mainstream media ignored it because it's in flyover land, right . this isn't, you know, right. this isn't, you know, some existential of climate change that they talk about in the salons of georgetown and the upper east side of manhattan. this a working this is a this is a working class town that's been devastated offshore ring of devastated by offshore ring of manufacturing. so the poverty rate is high. there the average income much below the norm. and this is town that's that's already suffering . and they've already suffering. and they've completely ignored and even especially people the judge who's the transportation secretary, was at a press conference that day and chose not to discuss it . it crack not to discuss it. it crack about balloons and then talked about balloons and then talked about the shameful this of the construct and crews on transportation projects that were predominantly white male like what? why are we talking about this? i identity politics has completely the people that that are supposed to be running the infrastructure in america.

it's really a shame and this vinyl chloride is this chemical on these trains which is supposedly one of the most carcinogenic chemicals known to. right. which has resulted. i don't know whether you've been able to see this. charlie, i would really urge to have a look on online and find the footage of it. but people are putting films of fish that are dead in the water and animals is dying in farms and the public . that's in farms and the public. that's one of the pictures we're looking at. that's the cloud i was talking about . look at the was talking about. look at the images mean they are incredible when i say a mushroom cloud. so when i say a mushroom cloud. so when we were listening on the radio it cast the most enormous cloud , the sky miles wide cloud, the sky miles wide kilometres wide. and then this is the footage we're seeing right now, which is at the fire, like greg said, a burn off the chemicals. and they thought perhaps wrongly that if burnt off the chemicals, that was the right thing to do. and there is footage, video footage of one gentleman cry, crying because he understands this is because he lives in areas . shocking story

lives in areas. shocking story and just reading the story and heanng and just reading the story and hearing that physical description from grant just what's actually happened . you what's actually happened. you know it's a gas that was all part of the chemicals that have been exposed as gas. but it is a chemical weapon in the first world war. so it goes back all that way and just shows how harmful it is . and it the harmful it is. and it also the article goes on to say that the chemicals as this chemicals as part of this release cause an release cause burning an invitation eyes and skin invitation to the eyes and skin invitation to the eyes and skin invitation the nose and invitation to the nose and through causing shortness of breath coughing. it is a breath and coughing. so it is a serious condition if anybody inhales . yeah. so it and inhales these. yeah. so it and perhaps hasn't got the coverage thatis perhaps hasn't got the coverage that is just a little deeper dive into that at point maybe next week. now anticipated covid 19 inquiry is facing delays in a secrecy row over civil servants names being removed from uk months. the preliminary hearing of how thousands of personal details are being manually redacted from submissions, including the names of june air officials who took decisions in the pandemic. i want to get a little bit more on this. i'm

going to be joined now by the sun express's and social affairs editor lucy johnston. good morning , lucy. great to see you morning, lucy. great to see you . we were hoping by now that we would have a couple of days of evidence that baroness hallett would be the information which we all need to understand and what happened. so tell us why this delay . well, i mean, this delay. well, i mean, there's delay after delay. and i think the bigger problem is that new led inquiries are very unwieldy . they're very unwieldy. they're very expensive. they take a lot of time. that's we've seen from history and they're very good at telling you what happened , but telling you what happened, but they're not very good at telling you why things happened . and you why things happened. and under the original plans, the response to a pandemic should have been run by the cabinet office . it should have been office. it should have been a societal response . it's because societal response. it's because the pandemic is a societal threat. so we should have had educationalists, psychologists

people who looked after children , hospitality, but instead it was run by doctors . focus is to was run by doctors. focus is to preserve health and the remit of the covid inquiry is not going to look at that not to look at why we lost somewhere in our organisational somewhere in the panic of 2020 and it will just be looking at what happened and taking views from various people who will all have their view of how they've affected and what the to you see. i notice a sort of making a political statements out of it and saying blaming austerity and things that so you know whether we're going to learn from it is what i really quest know what time scale be now do we know they've got month delay and also do we know how much this is costing us? good point. yeah so we've got about 60 barristers. that's i think

the sunday inquiry had similar amount, but it's pretty you know, it's up there on one of the larger number of barristers their costs being about the larger number of barristers their costs being abou t £220 an their costs being about £220 an hour maximum . some junior hour maximum. some junior solicitors do cost a bit less, solicitors do cost a bit less, so that's about £8,000 a week. so it will be running into millions. and as we've seen, as you've mentioned before, you know , there's this initial delay know, there's this initial delay and as we see in history inquiries , are always fraught inquiries, are always fraught with delays . people will with delays. people will complain , probably will have the complain, probably will have the word whitewash used at some point very soon. and things will take a lot longer. but whether they to the answers about why why we had a lockdown or whether a lockdown was necessary in the first place and whether that was an alternative to lockdown and whether it actually saved lives. all those questions are going to be asked and whether , you know, be asked and whether, you know, will we ever know how? you know,

i've got teenage children, how their life chances were affected. we can't know the inquiry can't answer that . and inquiry can't answer that. and surely those are the questions that we need to look at so that we can prevent lives being affected decades. again, you to look forward but we can't possibly answer those questions . lucy my fear is that on, say, issues like the fact that hundreds or decades at least of understanding about natural immunity , basics of virology immunity, basics of virology based immunology, why was all of that ripped up? do we know if the inquiry's going to look at that ? it know as far the inquiry's going to look at that? it know as far as i the inquiry's going to look at that ? it know as far as i know that? it know as far as i know it isn't and that is another problem with the inquiry. it's got a fixed remit and it's not going to look, you know, as you say, there was lots of voices of people who didn't think we should have a lockdown . and should have a lockdown. and those voices were surprise guest and there was censored it doesn't appear to be looking at that. so we're not going to see

we had decades of work on masks and the use of masks with respiratory viruses , mass respiratory viruses, mass testing for respiratory diseases, all these things are not being apparently looked at. i don't know whether they will be concluded , but that is a be concluded, but that is a problem going forward because this is now the playbook for , a this is now the playbook for, a pandemic. and if the questions that are asked don't encompass these, then this could happen again. yeah it's also questions like why did hundreds of years of medical ethics get torn up in terms of the fact we have never as human beings, the medical community, least since world war two. the idea was you would never take a drug for the protection. somebody else. and yet that was also pushed through as the norm without . is that as the norm without. is that going to be covered in the inquiry ? absolutely. no, i think inquiry? absolutely. no, i think another thing and the rights of children, you know, under the un convention on the rights of the

child , one should never bring child, one should never bring any laws into place that would affect children. our children must come first. we tool that up. we tore up parliamentary sovereignty and run roughshod over and power was ceded into a few hands and that needs to be looked at. the public health act , the covid act, how did we lose democracy in that way? and again , you know, i feel like the covid is going to be different groups with all their vested interests looking at it and for good reason from that perspective, talking about how they were failed, but actually to look at it from further away and say , did this happen in the and say, did this happen in the first place? and was it the right response and should we think about doing something different because we won't know the long effects? certainly not from that inquiry. the long effects? certainly not from that inquiry . yes, from that inquiry. yes, absolutely. and i think those who lost people to covid, particularly in that first wave, have some huge questions to ask

about insufficient ppe , also about insufficient ppe, also about insufficient ppe, also about the suppression of cheap and effective treatments that were apparently not available. lucy jones so let's talk to you. no doubt we will be discussing this over the forthcoming months . now my panel are back with me this you know what i'm thinking, greg swinson before just go greg swinson, before we just go on stories, i'm listening on to our stories, i'm listening to a bit like the great to lucy a bit like the great barrington declaration and those particular scientists in came out doctors a different out and doctors a different version of events then i wonder whether there should be an alternative now i alternative covid inquiry. now i think should be. and think there should be. and we need look lucy mentioned need to look and lucy mentioned censorship. we need to censorship. you know, we need to look government agencies look at what government agencies were advocating the censorship of , not just, were advocating the censorship of, not just, you were advocating the censorship of , not just, you know, views of, not just, you know, views that they didn't agree with, but any opposing views. and so that that i think is one of the great crimes, this crisis, not just in the uk but around the world. america is doing better on that with the twitter files and tweets and just just if you're i don't know how familiar you are with that respect, but explain to audience what's happening

to our audience what's happening now executives now in terms of some executives at twitter. so elon at twitter. yeah. so once elon musk twitter, was able musk bought twitter, he was able to the twitter to expose through the twitter files, the censorship that was going on on a number of issues. the hunter biden laptop, the hunter biden lot, laptop, for most for example. but most importantly for this discussion, the barrington declaration and anyone else who was was posting anyone else who was was posting any sensible information and it wasn't. and they of course labelled it misinformation disinformation in collusion with the russians or whatever they could call it to basically keep the power , the hands of these the power, the hands of these government bureaucrats . government bureaucrats. fortunately in the us we have the federal assistance of states, could make their own rules . and you saw the really rules. and you saw the really the blue divide where the red states, most well known, of course, is florida. that refused to lock down or impose mask mandates and vaccine mandates, not only because it wasn't following the science, but also it wasn't. it their right. it wasn't a governor's right to shut down his or her own people. and if people don't know the

great barrington declaration, it was a document drawn up by people like jay bhattacharya, sinister people who were of people who were the top of their field, immunology and field, medically immunology and the emails are there with from the emails are there with from the saying we need to the fda saying we need to discredit them as fringe activities. well she was leading the at discrediting these absolutely criminal and that needs to be an inquiry that maybe i'll let right moving on otherwise i won't sleep at night i don't think for the next few decades charlie you can me get in touch with your mp mates. tell them to come and have a chat. we may also see out rights gentlemen, slight change of gean gentlemen, slight change of gear, think is gear, but i think this is a really interesting for really interesting story. for years talking about years we've been talking about whether be a male whether would ever be a male contraceptive okay? contraceptive pill, okay? and would have intimate would women have intimate relations with a man would relations with a man who would say, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, i've taken that male pill. yeah, i'm all settled. all right. we're all settled. but it like there is a want there is one now which they are calling a game changer, a new male contraceptive pill, 100% reliable. it's charlie . it's

reliable. it's charlie. it's taken 30 minutes before intimacy and appears to be 100% effective at stopping pregnancies for at least 2 hours. it works by men's sperm swimming towards the eggs or maturing to the stage where it's able to egg to create a baby oh. it's a bit of an ethical minefield, this isn't it. but you trust , won't it? it. but you trust, won't it? sounds like you have to be very organised, very good with , with organised, very good with, with you. he's a great you're going to get lucky as well . yes. at to get lucky as well. yes. at time he's to perfection here. but i think it's a it's an interesting topic and it's a medical breakthrough. i mean, it is a question as to whether, you know, for four years it has been a post intimacy without any other contraception . if you're other contraception. if you're not looking to get pregnant, then it has been a woman that has been able to a medical a to prevent them asking a man did pnor prevent them asking a man did prior to sex maybe balances out that equilibrium but it is an interesting one i'm sure other medics will want us to be also

clear that . it doesn't sound as clear that. it doesn't sound as if it stops or you passing on any other kind of study . good any other kind of study. good point. charlie brody. that's any other kind of study. good point. charlie brody . that's why point. charlie brody. that's why you had to be the voice of reason. so it isn't the answer a no, it isn't . using a condom no, it isn't. using a condom still seems to be the best to prevent all kinds of things that you don't want to quite right too. and i don't know about you greg, but i just wouldn't trust him. i trust but verify. i would if i were a woman, i would say, have to watch you take the pill. oh well, kind of takes a little play oh well, kind of takes a little play romance . you said romance play romance. you said romance is the i'm just not me sex. would you like a pill? is the i'm just not me sex. would you like a pill ? just would you like a pill? just common sense . yeah, i would love common sense. yeah, i would love that. just seems to be something that. just seems to be something that could go wrong. and also you mentioned the timing 2 hours. is it an hour and a half? what what time is it? yes, there's lot that could go wrong here . i think of anything here. i think of anything that'll be more libido crushing is than that . right is really the than that. right gentlemen, we've ended on that particular it's particular bombshell. it's been lovely carry this lovely. we can carry this conversation all over some

coffee. right. thank you so much, greg swenson. charlie rowley. we come to the end rowley. we have come to the end of our show for the week as well. be back monday well. i'll be back on monday morning next morning at ten. coming up next is news live with mark is tv news live with mark longhurst. i'm bev turner. see you hello. alex deakin you monday. hello. alex deakin here weather . here with your latest weather. lots around today . the lots of cloud around today. the winds are going to be the big feature of the weather tonight and tomorrow and particularly tomorrow morning of the morning across parts of the north. we have met office yellow warnings in place. that's because of low because of this area of low pressure deepening, intensifying as the north. as it moves to the north. scotland, at squeeze in scotland, look at the squeeze in the winds really the about those winds really picking especially through friday morning. more on that in a moment. let's get through the rest of today. as i said, lot rest of today. as i said, a lot of cloud there, some drizzly of cloud out there, some drizzly conditions. there parts conditions. there were parts of eastern england away. eastern england clearing away. the drizzle the odd spot of drizzle elsewhere, but also something a bit develop in parts of bit brighter develop in parts of east northeast england east wales, northeast england may see some sunny spells may well see some sunny spells before more rain back before more rain pushes back into northern. pretty mild out there today . double digits there today. double digits almost across the board with a bit of brightness. we could get into teens during this evening.

that rain is going to spread from ireland into from northern ireland into western scotland where will western scotland where it will last night . the western scotland where it will last night. the rain western scotland where it will last night . the rain getting last all night. the rain getting heavier and heavier through the night pressure moves night as that low pressure moves in steadily in the also then steadily increasing, really picking up after midnight across the northwest for the south. well, it'll get a bit breezy. it stays cloudy. look these overnight temperatures very mild indeed. we won't feel mild tomorrow in winds. now, those winds really whipping up tomorrow morning across scotland initially, but also down across of also down across parts of northern england, gusts of 60, 70 an hour, likely to 70 miles an hour, likely to cause some disruption, particularly the high side of vehicles, but could all cause some debris, certainly some flying debris, certainly some flying debris, certainly some disruption the transport some disruption to the transport networks , flights, maybe networks, flights, maybe cancelled. so a very blustery day across. the north with showers in the far north, again further south, many places just dry and cloudy, but it will be windy then today and we could at times see a little bit of rain in. southwest, another very in. the southwest, another very mild the south. mild day across the south. further it will be further north, it will be a colder day despite a bit more sunshine, but obviously feeling a with those winds.

a lot colder with those winds. now, will be easing now, those winds will be easing through afternoon and through the afternoon and into the rain the evening. bit more rain coming the northwest as we coming in to the northwest as we go through friday evening. more details on the weather, warnings on website. good on the met office website. good bye .

it's 12 noon and a very good afternoon to you with gb news live. i'm mark longhurst. i'm coming up for you this hour. what future for scotland ? what what future for scotland? what future for the united kingdom . future for the united kingdom. the questions already being asked about whether the of asked about whether the issue of scottish independence has been decided nicola sturgeon's decided by nicola sturgeon's departure. a party, the snp meeting tonight to decide a way forward and who takes there? kate forbes. angus robertson . kate forbes. angus robertson. john swinney some of the names in the frame, but the in the frame, but what's the bigger